


And So It Begins

by Creej



Category: White Collar
Genre: Multi, Post Anklet, Prequel, darkish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-11-02 05:41:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10938153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creej/pseuds/Creej
Summary: This is a prequel to Drifting Away, explaining why Peter decided to make his break from Neal and Elizabeth.





	And So It Begins

**Author's Note:**

> Parts of this story overlap the events recounted in Drifting Away.

He trudged up the steps, briefcase banging against his leg and he reached into his pocket, fishing for his keys, finding the correct one primarily by feel. As he slotted it into the lock, he heard it - soft laughter floating through the open window. Neal. And Elizabeth. Something twisted in his gut. Not jealousy, something...indefinable. Something he couldn't put his finger on.

It had been two years since he and Elizabeth had invited Neal in - into their lives, into their marriage, into their bed. So he'd known he was there with his wife, probably had been for the greater part of the day. Unlike him.

His hand dropped, leaving the keys dangling and he sat on the stoop, sighing heavily. Once again, he'd stayed late at the office, completing the mountain of paperwork that came with the job and that the higher ups had insisted be done before tomorrow. Time had gotten away from him and he'd forgotten to call and tell them he'd be late. But then, *they* hadn't called to see when he'd be home. There'd been no missed calls, no voicemail to tell him he'd been missed. And that was happening more and more frequently. Again, there was soft laughter from the window as he stood and he knew with almost preternatural certainty what would happen when he stepped inside.

He found them huddled on the couch, a bottle of wine on the coffee table and a glass in their hands and he set his briefcase down, capturing their attention. There it was - the slightly startled, slightly surprised look that flashed across their faces when they saw him. It lasted only a fraction of a second but he'd seen it. Again.

"Hon?"

He held up a hand, shaking his head. "Long day," he said. "I'm tired so I'm just going to go to bed."

"We'll be up in a bit then," Elizabeth said.

"Take your time," he said. "No hurry." He had little doubt he'd be half asleep by the time they joined him.

Once in the bedroom, he stripped, hanging his suit up neatly since he didn't want to hear Neal's remarks about it and - admittedly - he'd become more particular about his dress. He decided on a shower before bed, feeling the dried sweat coating his skin - the A/C on their floor had been cranky all week - and ran the water cool but not cold before stepping under the spray. Faintly, he heard footsteps coming upstairs and by the tread, knew it was Elizabeth.

"Hon?"

"Yeah?"

"You hungry? I could make you something..."

So, they hadn't even bothered to make dinner for three and set his aside. He shoved the twist in his gut aside and quirked his lips in a smile. "No, I grabbed a late dinner," he said. He wasn't the least bit hungry despite the fact he hadn't had anything since lunch hours ago.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, just tired," he said. And he was - tired of seeing them slip farther away from him, of being moved to the outskirts of their lives, tired of them not seeing it. As Elizabeth nodded and went back downstairs - almost eagerly, he thought - a small part of his mind said they *did* see what they were doing and were waiting to see if *he* did. He shook his head, dismissing the thought. He knew they loved him as much as he loved them. However, that nagging little voice wouldn't go completely silent.

He finished his shower, toweled off and padded naked into the bedroom, slipping into bed and pulling a light sheet to his waist. Downstairs he could hear the soft murmur of their conversation interspersed with laughter and wondered how long they'd be.

He was awakened from a light doze when the other side of the bed dipped as first Neal then Elizabeth climbed in. He turned to his side and watched through slitted eyes as they kissed, feeling a flare of desire at the sight. It still surprised him that Neal wanted them, wanted *him* but he no longer questioned it. Neal had come back after three months abroad once the anklet came off for good. Suddenly Elizabeth was meeting his gaze and he returned her smile.

"I thought you were asleep," she said softly.

"Almost," he said, reaching over Neal to caress her face. He shifted to kiss her but Neal diverted his mouth to his and he couldn't contain the huff of laughter. "Still a thief," he said fondly.

Neal's eyes sparked in amusement. "Always," he said. "But nothing illegal."

"I don't know," he said. "Sometimes I think the way you kiss should be classified as a schedule one narcotic. I should bust you for distribution."

"Well, you and Elizabeth would be in trouble too," Neal said. "Since you're my customers. My *only* customers. You wouldn't want your lovely wife going to prison, would you?"

"Got me there," he said.

"I've got you period," Neal said, pushing him to his back and straddling him. He heard Elizabeth chuckle then she moved to straddle his legs and he felt himself harden, knowing what was in store. He heard the snap of the lube bottle and moaned softly, knowing she was preparing Neal to take him. Once done, Neal lifted slightly then lowered himself onto him as Elizabeth guided his cock. Neal rode him slowly at first as Elizabeth played with his balls and stroked Neal and he closed his eyes. He knew by the way Neal's breath hitched that he was close and backed himself from the edge.

"Peter..." Neal breathed.

He shook his head. "Elizabeth next," he said. He held Neal in a firm grip, stopping his movements as Elizabeth continued to stroke him. Neal stiffened, grasping his wrists tightly then shuddered in release. Elizabeth dismounted and knelt at his side, licking him clean as Neal reluctantly disengaged, falling to the side as he caught his breath. Ever conscious of safety, Elizabeth rolled a condom on before taking Neal's place on his cock, groaning softly as he stretched her.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Neal asked, propping himself up.

"Always," Elizabeth said with a lazy smile.

He held her still, suddenly a little irritated that her attention wasn't on him, and thrust up into her until they both came then pulled her down for a hard kiss that left her breathless. Since Neal was on one side, she took the other, both curled up against him.

WCWCWCWC

Movement woke him and he opened his eyes to find Elizabeth climbing over him and his heart clenched. It was another thing that was happening more frequently. He waited until she settled and her breathing evened into sleep before sliding out of bed, wondering when or if they'd notice. Sometimes they didn't. As he slipped on a pair of sleep pants - he was wide awake now - he sat, observing his wife and his lover as they curled into each other. He'd known they were both out of his league and he knew how lucky he was that both loved him and each other. But the sight of them on the bed made him consider other, less pleasant facts. Like how they tended to prefer each other, their momentary surprise when he got home, their failure to call to see when or even if he'd be home. All of it was happening more and more.

An idea came to mind, almost immediately fully formed and he wondered: could he really go through with it? It would be hard, he thought, but not as hard as watching them slowly pull away, until it was just them. He'd need money. He frowned as a memory teased him. A bank account. Did he still have it or had he closed it? Only one way to find out and he couldn't do it at home.

He got up, grabbed a pair of jeans, T-shirt, socks and shoes and took them to the guestroom to dress, intending to go to the office. As the head of the white collar division, he could find out about that bank account without raising any flags...or leaving a trace. It would take some time before he was ready but he knew he had to take it to do it right.

He made his way quietly downstairs, seeing Satchmo sleeping peacefully in his bed and shrugged into his jacket after gathering his keys, wallet and badge.

The trip to the Federal Building and to the twenty first floor took little time and he was soon climbing the stairs to his office. But as he seated himself at his desk, doubts began to creep in. Was this really what he wanted to do? Not really, he admitted but the memory of Neal and Elizabeth both looking startled, surprised when he got home came to mind. As did their total immersion in some discussion of art, wine or restaurant, ignoring him completely and just tonight, Elizabeth climbing over him to get to Neal. He used to be their focus but now, it seemed, he no longer was. He knew it was selfish to put himself first - it went against his nature, especially where Elizabeth was concerned - but in this, he didn't think he was wrong.

He logged into the Bureau database, bringing up what he needed, entering the account number from memory. He'd always had a head for numbers - it was what had made him such a good accountant before he went to Quantico. He remembered his parents' phone number while he was in college, his own first phone number, his high school locker combination, his, El's and (a few of) Neal's Social Security numbers, his and El's joint bank account number.

He waited a few seconds until the information displayed and his brows rose in surprise. Not only was the account still active but more than twenty years of interest meant there was a tidy sum. It wasn't just the interest though. He'd opened the account while still in college with the money he got from doing odd jobs until he was accepted at a Boston accounting firm and he started depositing his salary. He'd opened the current - joint - account after finishing at the Academy and being assigned to the New York office and the old account slipped his mind. Until now. He'd cash out his pension when the time came, when everything was in place. His plan hinged on not leaving anything that could be traced, especially money. His team was good and could follow any trail that left clues. Which meant he would need a new alias - one only he knew which meant none he'd used during an undercover op. Fortunately, he knew where to go for another one. There were certain perks to knowing not one but two former criminals, he found. He checked the time and found it was getting late - or early - and shut down his computer. He'd wipe the history later.

WCWCWCWC

It was just getting light when he let himself in. The house was quiet which meant that Neal and Elizabeth were still asleep. Again, he wondered if they'd even noticed he'd been gone. Something bitter in him said probably not.

"Peter?"

He looked up to see Neal at the top of the stairs. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," he said.

"Where were you?" Neal asked as he descended.

"Had a hunch I wanted to check out," he said.

"At two in the morning? That's when you left."

"I thought you were asleep," he said.

"I was but I woke up when I heard the door. I've been awake since," Neal said. He cupped his face, studying it intently. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"No, nothing's wrong," he said. "Like I said, I just had a hunch I wanted to check. Didn't want to wait."

Neal pursed his lips then nodded before giving him a kiss. "I'll make coffee," he said, releasing him to go to the kitchen.

He let out a breath. Another perk from knowing the best conman the world had seen in a long while. He was almost as good at it as Neal. "So what's on deck today?" he asked, joining Neal in the kitchen.

"Two consults," Neal said, pouring water into the coffee maker and scooping in the grounds. "One in the west Fifties and one in Midtown. You?"

"The usual doses of mortgage fraud, investment scams and embezzlement," he said. "When's your consult in Midtown? Maybe we can grab lunch."

"I don't know if I can," Neal said. "After doing the threat assessment, the bank will have about a ream of paperwork for me to fill out then I'll have to go through my recommendations line by line with them." His mouth quirked. "Sometimes I really miss being a consultant for just the Bureau," he said.

"But your company is doing so well," he said. "And you still consult with us on occasion."

"I like my work," Neal said. "But I have a ton more paperwork than I did when I was your CI. And you know how much I hate paperwork."

He huffed out a laugh. "And you can't con a probie into doing it for you," he said.

Neal grinned as he filled two mugs. "I stopped trying after you caught me three or four times," he said.

He quirked a brow, skeptical of Neal's claim but said nothing. "Well, if you can get loose, give me a call," he aid.

"Will do."

"You're up early," Elizabeth said, coming into the kitchen.

"He just got in," Neal said.

"Had a hunch on a case and didn't want to wait," he said.

"Think it'll pan out?" Elizabeth asked, getting plates and cutlery to set the table.

"Pretty sure it will," he said taking the dishes from her. "You and Neal go shower and dress. I'll make breakfast." He was a little hurt but not surprised when neither objected to his suggestion and left to go upstairs, faintly hearing Elizabeth laugh. His grip on the plates tightened and he resisted the urge to throw them against the wall. How could they *not* know what they were doing to him? They knew him better than anyone else. His plan solidified as did his resolve to carry it out. He'd continue as usual, get what he needed then disappear. He knew he could con them into thinking all was well - it would be easy especially since they wouldn't be expecting it...and they were too caught up in each other to really notice. Dependable, reliable Peter Burke would never leave the two people he loved most in the world, right?

Pulling himself together, he set the table and started breakfast. He'd call off work - Jones was more than capable of handling the office - and take the first step, which meant contacting the forger community for a new alias. Another item was finding another place, out of the city, preferably out of state. He wanted a clean break before his heart was broken beyond repair.

WCWCWCWC

He saw them off after breakfast - both had client meetings - then set off himself in search of Neal's and Mozzie's former associates. Fortunately, no one in the forger community had ever seen him - Neal had dealt with them when they were trying to capture Mozzie's shooter - so he saw no problem on that front. To them he would be just another customer.

It was late afternoon when he found who he was looking for but he knew it wouldn't be easy - if it had been, the man would have been arrested and doing time already.

"What name? And what do you need?"

"Name of John Lassiter," he said, spelling the last name. "Driver's license, passport, credit cards if you can." He made a mental note to buy another phone using the new name later.

"Can do," the man said and named his price for the work.

He was a little surprised at the amount, lower than he'd expected, considering the quality of the work - Neal would have been impressed. "You'll get paid once the work is done," he said.

""Sure," the man said. "But I don't have a policy of ripping off my customers. Just so you know. Now, let's get your picture, shall we?"

He stood patiently as the camera was set up and two pictures were taken - one for the license, one for the passport.

"You want any travel in the passport?"

"How much extra for that?"

"Two hundred."

"Per stamp?"

The man huffed a laugh. "Sharp," he said. "Most don't think to ask that." He regarded him a moment then said, "Tell you what...I like you so I'll give you a discount. Fifty per stamp."

He thought about it for a few minutes - that was a hell of a discount - then nodded. "Deal," he said.

"What countries?"

"Italy, France, Denmark and Spain," he said, naming countries he'd chased Neal to during the hunt.

"Dates?"

"From oh two to present," he said. "Specifics up to you."

"You got it," he said. "Give me a few weeks."

"I'll check back in two," he said before he left.

Once that was taken care of, he debated going into the office to take the next step and perhaps getting some case files to work on at home. He decided to go in partly to search for affordable properties on his work computer rather than do it at home and to get work to take home. He gave himself half an hour to search to avoid questions. He needn't have worried. Soon after he arrived, Jones, Blake and a few junior agents went on stake out - all that were left were interns and probies, all of whom knew not to disturb him unless it was important.

For the second time that day, he fired up his computer then, keeping in mind the balance of that old account, he started his search. He found quite a few in his price range - more than he could effectively research in any depth - and began eliminating those that were too far away, too big or too small. Trailers and trailer parks were also taken off as were those with little to no yard - he *would* be getting a dog. Two hours later he had a much more manageable list, jotting down the various web addresses for a closer look later. Once he decided, he'd cash out his pension and empty that account - no paper or electronic trails. Whether he actually went through with his plans depended on Neal and Elizabeth, on whether the pattern continued. Before he left, he grabbed some cold cases to take home - maybe Neal would agree to help...if he wasn't involved with Elizabeth. As he exited the building, his phone rang. "This is Burke."

"Peter! Still want to grab lunch? I'm done in Midtown."

"Sure," he said and Neal named one of their favorite cafes and he said he'd be there in twenty.

"Working from home today?" Neal asked when he joined him, seeing him still casually dressed.

"Yeah, A/C's still acting up. Cooler at home," he said.

"A perk of being the boss," Neal said with a grin, then reached for his phone when it rang. It was Elizabeth and from what he could hear, she was also free for lunch and Neal told her where they were. "El said she'd be here in about ten. Want to wait to order until she gets here?"

"I can wait," he said. He raised his brows, seeing Neal studying him. "What?"

"Is anything wrong Peter? Seriously." Neal asked.

"What makes you ask?"

"I don't know," Neal said, brow furrowed. "It's just...a feeling."

"I thought *I* had the infallible gut," he said, mouth quirked in a smile. He sobered. "It's nothing," he said. "Just the usual. Work."

"Too many mortgage fraud, embezzlement and investment scam cases?"

"Seems there's always three or four popping up every week," he said. "No imagination to them."

"Then I guess it's too bad you caught me," Neal said. "At the very least I kept your life interesting."

"You still do," he said.

A few minutes later, Elizabeth joined them and he noticed she greeted Neal first. "Hey hon," she said, giving him a kiss then almost immediately fell into a discussion with Neal about the exhibits at the museum she was using as a venue. He idly wondered if they'd notice if he left. He found his appetite had deserted him. 

"Excuse me, I remembered I have to take care of a few things at the office," he said as a waiter approached. Another clench in his heart as they somewhat distractedly bid him goodbye.

He didn't go to the office. He didn't go home either. Instead, he just drove somewhat aimlessly until he found himself somewhere vaguely familiar. It took him a few minutes to figure out why. He'd parked by the house once owned by Avery Phillips, one of the men who'd run a boiler room scam, the man who'd installed an airtight vault for his comic book collection...the vault where he and Neal had almost died. He noted the house was for sale but had no interest in it - it was too close to Neal and Elizabeth and he didn't want anything that big.

He lost track of time as he sat looking out over the water and was a little startled when he realized the sun was setting. Again there were no missed calls or voicemails wondering where he was and he felt tears prick his eyes - tears of sorrow and tears of anger. He briefly considered not going home at all - they seemed perfectly happy without him - but he dried his eyes and started the car.

"Hey, you're back," Neal said when he got home. "We were starting to worry."

No you weren't, he thought cynically. "Chased down that lead," he said. "Guy was a little more slippery than I thought."

"Hungry?" Elizabeth asked. "Dinner's about ready."

In truth, he really had no appetite but he hadn't eaten much since a hurried lunch the day before. "How much longer?"

"About twenty minutes," Elizabeth said.

He nodded and started upstairs. He was stopped by Neal who drew him into a kiss, slow, sweet and full of love. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" Neal asked.

"He's fine, sweety," Elizabeth said without looking up from the magazine she was paging through.

He tamped down the surge of anger he felt at her words. How would *she* know? How would either of them know if he was fine? They barely acknowledged his presence most days. "I'm fine," he said. He'd decided. They'd made their choice clear. He was in the way and despite the hurt, despite the anger, he loved them enough to let them have each other.

"If you're sure..." Neal said, sounding a little uncertain.

WCWCWCWC

The next two weeks were much the same - he'd go to work, plodding through cases and paperwork, staying late - and only occasionally would one of them call to see when he'd be home but more often than not, they didn't. It was during this time that he winnowed his list down to half a dozen properties in four states. All had one thing in common - they were either right outside or in small towns. It was something no one would expect - he was a city person, had been since he'd moved to New York. And anyway, he was beginning to doubt Neal and Elizabeth would care even if they knew. Looking over his list, he somewhat reluctantly crossed off the one in the mid west, deciding it was, perhaps, a little too far away.

Things at home remained the same - Neal and Elizabeth remained caught up in each other, leaving him to his own devices, *very* occasionally including him. On his part, he kept up the front that he was fine, *they* were fine and he could see they didn't know, didn't suspect that things were nearing a breaking point. The only thing that remained the same was their lovemaking - that was as passionate as ever. He still took delight in them as they did in him and he still felt no jealousy at seeing them together. Part of him was glad they'd have each other when he left.

He was dozing after a particularly intense round of lovemaking - Neal on one side, Elizabeth on the other - when it happened again. This time it was Neal who climbed over him to wrap his arms around Elizabeth and he felt tears prick his eyes. Once he heard them settle into sleep, he slipped out of bed, confident they wouldn't notice - they hadn't for the last week so no reason to think they would this time. Rather than spend the night sleeping alone with two people on the other side of the bed, he went to the guestroom for a few more hours sleep. But he couldn't sleep. The bed was strange, the room too quiet and his thoughts were in turmoil. He sat on the side of the bed and allowed himself to cry - for what he was losing, for what he was giving up. Drying his eyes, he gave up on sleep and went downstairs but he couldn't stop thinking of the two upstairs, sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of what they were doing to him - or maybe they didn't care. Something in him rebelled at the thought. Neither Elizabeth nor Neal was that cruel.

Dawn found him still awake and he rose from the couch to start the coffee before going up to get dressed, finding them still curled up around each other. He stood, just looking at them, both so beautiful, and wondering if he could really live without them. But the thoughts of what they were doing crowded his mind.

"You're up early," Elizabeth said sleepily.

"Couldn't sleep," he said.

"Anything wrong?"

"No, everything's fine, hon," he said. "You still have a few more hours. Go back to sleep."

She nodded, closing her eyes and snuggled closer to Neal. He lingered just a moment longer then quickly dressed, suddenly unable to tolerate the sight of them. Why couldn't they see what they were doing to him? Or did they know and were just waiting for him to let them know he'd caught on? The cynical part of him suggested it was the latter - they were waiting for him to catch up. Yes, he bordered on brilliant when it came to crimes and criminals but when it came to relationships, he was usually bumbling around in the dark, feeling his way forward. So maybe they *were* cruel enough to leave him floundering around, waiting for him to get it. He didn't think they'd planned it, he didn't think they'd come into this intending to shut him out but they were. And they probably knew it. The house abruptly became too stifling and he had to get out, so he shrugged on his suit jacket, gathered his things and left, not bothering to be particularly quiet. Once they woke up, they'd be too busy with each other to notice his absence for a while.

Somehow he found himself at the Federal Building and he realized he must have driven there on autopilot. Rather than go back home, he went inside, giving the guard an absent greeting as he waited for the elevator. Minutes later, he pushed through the doors on the twenty first floor and climbed the stairs to his office. He fired up his computer, unfolding the list of properties. He had his eye on one in particular in Vermont. It was well within his price range, fairly isolated but close enough to the nearest town to be convenient and had enough land for a dog to run around on. The house was a small, one bedroom - big enough for just him. Despite the early hour, he called the realtor handling the sale and left a message, asking them to contact him via email to discuss details. He checked the time and found he could probably get back home before they woke up. When he opened the door, he heard the shower running and gave Satchmo a quick scratch as he went into the kitchen, pouring himself yet another cup of coffee. As he started breakfast he heard them come downstairs.

"I think I could get used to this," Elizabeth said. "Not having to make breakfast."

He felt a flash of irritation at her words - she'd said it like that was all he was good for, her convenience - but pushed it aside. "Well, tomorrow I'm sleeping in," he said. He heard the sharpness in his tone but evidently neither Elizabeth or Neal had noticed, judging by their lack of reaction.

"*I'll* cook breakfast tomorrow," Neal said.

What appetite he'd been getting suddenly deserted him but he forced himself to eat anyway. If he didn't, they'd know for sure something was wrong, that he'd figured it out. He snorted to himself - now he was sounding paranoid.

As soon as he could, he escaped to the office, claiming a heavy caseload and wondered how he was going to make it through the weekend. Again, their goodbyes were somewhat distracted but they were busy gathering their own things. But neither asked for a goodbye kiss before he left.

At least the morning started looking up when he checked his email when he got to the office. In his inbox he found a reply from a few realtors asking when he would have the time to inspect the properties he was interested in. Even the closest would require leaving town for at least a day. Well, it's not like they'd miss him, he thought cynically. But still, to keep up appearances he'd have to tell them. He replied to the one in Vermont, asking if that weekend would be convenient. Almost immediately he received a response - that weekend was acceptable.

He left early, after clearing out a few cases - some of which were almost laughably simple to unravel - and went home to change before checking on the progress of his new ID. If the man even suspected he was law enforcement, he'd close up shop and disappear, forcing him to start over. He was told it would be a few more days to do the final touches. He nodded, satisfied.

Dinner that night was as usual when all three were present but he was surprised when Neal asked him if he wanted to join them at an exhibition the next day. He put as much regret into his answer as he could. "Sorry, can't. Have to go out of town. Have a lead upstate for a case."

"Will you be gone long?" Elizabeth asked.

He heard a somewhat odd note in her voice. Was it excitement? Anticipation? He didn't, however, hear any interest. "Could be a few days," he said. "You'll be okay while I'm gone?"

"I'm sure we'll manage. We have before," Neal said.

I'm sure, he thought. "I could send Jones..." he said.

"That's okay hon," Elizabeth said. "It's your lead. You should follow it."

He stood abruptly, ignoring their startled looks. "Sorry," he said. "I need to pack. Have to leave early."

"Need help?" Elizabeth asked, standing as well.

He bit back the sharp retort crowding his tongue - "in a hurry to get me out of here?" - and smiled. "No, you finish," he said. "I got it." He turned and headed toward the stairs.

"Peter...?" It was Neal.

He looked back at them. Elizabeth had reseated herself and was grasping Neal's hand - like she used to grasp his, like she hadn't for a while. "Sorry, long day today, long day tomorrow," he said. "Not really looking forward to it but you know..." He shrugged.

Neal studied him for a moment then seemed to dismiss his behavior and turned back to Elizabeth, picking up their interrupted conversation as if nothing had happened. Once upstairs, he quickly packed a bag then used his phone to get directions and find a place to stay while he was there even though his laptop was right on the nightstand. He had to start covering his tracks and his laptop would be the first thing they looked at.

That night he left the bed again once they were asleep. It was still early and he didn't have to leave for a few more hours and he spent the rest of the night in the guestroom, sleeping somewhat fitfully until his alarm went off. It being the weekend, he knew he would be well on his way before they woke - Elizabeth had no events scheduled and Neal rarely did consults on the weekend. The sun was barely up when he put his bag in the car and drove off, Satchmo being the only one to note his departure.

As he made his way out of the city, he was left wondering why Elizabeth hadn't seemed to notice his admittedly odd behavior of late. She knew him better than anyone - including Neal - but she hadn't said a word to him about it, never questioned it. But then again, maybe she *had* noticed it and was just too focused on Neal to care. He put them out of mind and concentrated on his destination: the little town of Greenhill, Vermont.

WCWCWCWC

He hit town just after noon, tired from the long drive and a little hungry. It didn't take long to find a diner - Jilly's - and grab some lunch. He thought perhaps he'd have the chance to look around a little before his appointment. From what little he'd seen so far, he could imagine being content here - not happy, but at least content. It would be an adjustment, he knew but he was adaptable - he could get used to it. After lunch, he asked if there was a hotel nearby and was directed to an inn just outside town, checking in before heading to his appointment with the realtor.

As he lay in bed that night, he allowed himself to wonder what they were doing, if they missed him at all. Perhaps, he thought, but they'd soon put his absence out of mind and go on with whatever they'd had planned. He was reasonably sure they'd wonder why he'd just up and left and he fully intended to tell them - but only after he felt enough time had passed. He was also reasonably sure they'd try to find him, even though it would only be because it would look strange if they didn't. He was only covering his tracks because he didn't want to be pulled back in only to go through this heartbreak again. They'd made their choice and neither had chosen him. The two of them were happy - happier? - without him, he knew that, he could see it. He was just giving them what they obviously wanted - a life together without him in the way. Besides, he more than suspected that Neal loved Elizabeth more than him and perhaps it was in part because of her resemblance to Kate. He didn't seriously believe Elizabeth was a substitute since she and Kate had nothing in common besides looks. But he had to wonder if Elizabeth was the main reason Neal had come back. The state of things as they stood now gave credence to the idea. Neal had found an intellectual match in Elizabeth, someone who shared his interest in wine, art and cuisine. His interests were more down to earth. If he were to be mean, he'd consider his wife and his best friend to be somewhat snobby. He only knew about what interested them because it was part of the job, not because he really gave a damn. He sighed. He'd be setting them free soon enough. He would get his alternate ID when he got back to the city and, from what the realtor had told him, the property was as good as his. Once the sale was finalized, he'd be gone. No word, no clue, no trail. Neal and Elizabeth would have what they wanted and he'd adjust to life without them.

He made one last stop before heading back home - to withdraw the money for the forger. He knew it had to be cash and he knew it had to come out of his old account - Elizabeth usually did the household finances and she'd definitely see such a large withdrawal. As for traveling with so much cash, he wasn't all that worried. He was a Federal agent, trained in firearms and hand to hand combat. He could take care of himself.

WCWCWCWC

He finished his business with the forger, not at all worried about his talking to anyone who might look for him - the community didn't talk, it was bad for business - and went home to find them gone. Just as well. It gave him time to put everything in the safe. Elizabeth didn't keep anything in there and though Neal could probably get into it easily, he'd have no reason to unless he was given one. He didn't plan to give him one. Now, all he needed was confirmation that the house in Vermont was his, empty the old account and cash out his pension. He had his twenty so he'd get all of it.

Three days later, he found out the house was officially his and he made an appointment with the Office of Personnel Management about his pension. He'd be gone that weekend. He had everything in place; there was nothing to stop him and, it seemed, no one to stop him. Neither Neal nor Elizabeth seemed to suspect all was not well. Daily life continued as usual.

He did his best to wear them out his last night, knowing how deeply they slept afterward. Once he was sure, he slid out of bed, watching from the chair as Elizabeth curled up even closer to Neal, watching as his arms tightened briefly around her. Finally, he stood, gathering his clothes to dress in the guestroom. Placing his bags in the hall, he opened the safe one last time to retrieve his new identity and phone - he'd toss the old one once he was on his way. One last look and he went downstairs and gave Satchmo one last pet, one last scratch behind the ears then quietly let himself out, calling a cab to take him to the train station. He looked up to the bedroom window, a last nagging doubt pulling at him. He brushed it aside. This is what they wanted, they'd made that abundantly clear over that last six months - them together, him out of the way. They'd get the full explanation when the letter he'd left at the bank the day before was delivered in about a year. The cab pulled up and he loaded his bags, ready to start his new life...alone.


End file.
